Rotary gas-engine.



L. A. LANG.

ROTARY GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DB0. 22, 1904.

Patented Apn, 1910.

Z SHEETS-SHEET l.

b i N m L. Al LANG.

` ROTARY GAS ENGINE. APPLIOATION FILED DB0. 22, 1904.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

LINCLN A. LANG, GF YULE. NORTH BAKGT..

ROTARY GAS-ENGINE.

implication led December 2, i994.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Agir. 5, lo,

seriai NG. 237,947.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that l. LiNooLN LANG, of Yule. in the county ot Billings and State ot F 3 is a central transverse section of the engine. Fig. 4 is a t ansrerse section on the lines C l? ot' Fig-.1 looking in the direction of the arrow. `Figs. 5,4%, i', 8, 9 and l0 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation ci? the engine. Fig. il is a transverse sectional View of a niodilied form of engine. lfig. 1 2 is a transverse section taken on the line E F or' Fig. l looking in the direction ot' the arrows.

Referring to the drawings: the piston chamber housedin a cylinder l having heads at the opposite ends and provided with hearings 3 for the shafts of the pistons. The pistons are of the alternating rotary type. 'lhey are preferably of segmental shape in cross section end are adapted to rotate Within then cylinder l.

To the central rotary she'it is rigidly secured the segment piston 5 so. as to rotate therewith. liston S may be integrally formed with shaft l or it may lie secured thereto hy some means, as bolts (S, the separable construction being` preferable in the particular form of engine adopted as illustrating my invention. rEhe complementary piston 7 is preferably integral with its hollow shaft 8, which shaft extencs axially from each side ofthe cylinder l. This sha'ity S is concentric with and surrounds shat't i piston 5. rllie piston T is provided with annular scans i) adjacent to each head 2 oi: the cylinder. 'that portion of the.. piston r! ywhich vis rco-extensive with the lengtl'i of pis` shaped piston occuliyingaliout the remain i r i ing quarter ot the area of the cylinder. Pistons 5 and 7 are ot similar shape in transrerse section through thel center of the cylinder and throughout their effective radial faces. lfn the present instance, each piston occupies somewhat less than a quarter or 90 degrees ot' the transverse area vof the cylinder l.

0n the ends of shaft i is rigidly secured an arm or eccentric l() carrying a pin "il so as to revolve therewith. Rigidly connect-ed lto the ends of the annular shaft. 8 is an arm or eccentric lcarrying a pin or connection i3. These pins ll and 13 are connected to pivotal linls le which are in turn pivoted to pins lo on a rot-ary member, such as a disk i6, mounted for rotation upon a transmis? sion shaft 17, eccentric to the shaits lland 8- ofl the engine. This arrangement ciy links, rotary member, and eccentric transmitting shaftis shown substantially duplicated upon each side of the engine. lt is understood however that. snc-h duplication is not essential. lt is only necessary to have the transmitting mechanism at one side ot' the engine. The etlect `of the arrangement of the arms and links, he rotary member and transmission shaft eccentric to that of the engine shaft, ceases each piston to have its .rotary movement alternately accelerated and retarded, with relation to the. other piston. ln the link and eccentric arrangement illustrated the maximum `variation'between the accelerated or retarded speed of one piston with respect. to the other is about.l one to sin. The Variation of speed is directly proportional to the, eecentricity between the centers or the engine shafts and the transmitting shaft. lhis eccentric arrangement can ot coursehe varied and the consequent accel-4 erated and retarded speeds of the pistons correspondingly varied.

Various Ways may be employed to make, the pistons or tlnid tight in their revolutions in the cylinder. irs an illustration l have shown the ends of the shaft 4, Where it connects with the piston 5, as Abeveled and splity packingrings 18 abutting thereon within the annular heads 9 or the piston?. These rings i8 are held to their seats by long split hnsl'iings 19 and -collars 2d adjnstahie for Wear by means of pins l2l in the arms or eccentrics l0.

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brication of the pistons oil ducts Q2 are formed in the cylinder casing which com` municate ivith annular recesses or channels 23 formed in thc outer edge and periphery of the piston heads 9 and adjacent to the cylinder heads 2. Openings or channels extend at intervals fronrthe channels Q3 into inner annular channels 25 in communication with the bearings between the pistons and 7 `and the concentric shafts e' and S permitting these bearings to run in an adequate supply of oil. I

To provide against overheating of the gas engine the Walls of the cylinder are cored out forming channels 26 provided with suit-v able inlet and outlet ipes to provide an et'- 'ticient circulation ot lWater therein. The piston 7 is Water-cooled by connecting the water passages 26 of the cylinder vvith radial passages 27 registering vvithradial passages 28 in the rotary piston heads 9. Passages 28 communicate with' annular Water 'chambers 29 in the piston lheads 9 and these annular passages 29 communicate with longitudinal Water-passages 30 extending lengthwise of the piston. JPiston-'l' is ythe only one vshown supplied with Water cooling passages, but'it is obvious that piston 5 may be similarly equippedA Preferably in the bottom of the cylinder l is arranged a compression vchamber 3l for the' explosive mixture. The capacity and shape of this chamber may be variously modified. Good results are obtained by malring the chamber relatively 'narrow longitudinally of the engine and of length radially thereof nearly coextensive with the radial. Width of the segmental pistons 5 and 7. This compression or combustion chamber 8l is provided With lan inlet valve 32 leading' to a chamber 33. A pipe 3e serves to bring the explosive mixture to the' chamber 33 Jfrom a pump, carbureter or vaporizer, depending upon t-he system employed :tor charging chamber 31. Valve 32 opens in- Wardly and is provided. with a` spring for seating the valve againstv outward pressure. At the left hand of the engine theeranlr larm l2 upontlie shaft 8 is formed into an eccentric upon which is placed an eccentric strap 35 connected to a piston rod 3o and piston 37 of ay pumpSS. On the right hand of the engine the piston shaft e has its crank arm l0 formed into an eccentric about Which is placed a strap 35 connected to a piston rod 36, piston and pump 38, which are duplicates ot' those shown on the llett hand side of the engine. Pump inlets $39 for air or gas, or a mixture olf both are provided With checks and are the same for both pumps. r 40 are outlet pipes from both pun'ips provided With checks el for delivering the uid to the pipe 3-"2- before described.

A central axial air duct 42 is .tori'ned in usarse the piston shaft 4 and extends iret`erably throughout the length of the shalt. It is provided centrally of the engine with a port i3 at right angles to the shaft for the purpose of discharging' air into the piston chamber When said port is not covered by the piston 7.

Piston? is provided with laps or Wings ll on either side and piston 5 is provided with corresponding` recesses l5, the purpose of Which is to delay or regulate the uncovering vof the port 43 to the interior of the engine cylinder. AThe engine cylinder is provided with exhaust ports i6 controlled by valves 47, from Which lead exhaust passages 48 into an exhaust pipe 49. The exhaust is preferably providedfivith an exhaust fan 50 of some approved type located therein and adapted to be driven in any desirablemanner, sayr by a friction Wheel 5l on the fan shaft in contact .With the periphery or" one of the rotary members or disks 16. Two exhaust valves 47 are employed in order to provide for the reversibility of the motor. The valve stems of these valves are connected by a link mechanism 53 and an operatinghandle 54 for simultaneously opening one valve and closing the other, according to the direction it is desired to give the motor.

F or the purpose or" igniting the gaseous charge in the chamber 3l any style of igniter may be employed. I have illustrated an electrical spark plug of the jump-spark variety at 55, having a terminal 56, the other terminal 57 of Which'mayloev the engine fra-ine.

In my improved engine tivo explosions are caused in each vfull revolution of the pistons. To eliect the closing of the electric circuit at each halfrcvolution of the engine I may employ any automatic device of approved'type. At I have illustrated a means vvhich will secure the above result.

59 is a band encircling' one ot the transmission shat'ts 1T provided with oppositely extending arms (i0 each ,carrying spring wipers Gl connected with terminals (i2 ot an electric circuit. Diamctrically through the shaft i7 is inserted a conductor (i2) insulated from the shaft, the opposite terminals of which are arranged to engage the. spring- Wipers 6l and thereby close the circuit at cach halt revolution ot the cugino. 'lhe band or ring 59 normally stationary and is provided with a lever or handle (11i hy means of which it is adjustably oscillalcfl For the purpose of giving ay late or an curly spark in the manner understood in gas cngine practice.

The transmitting shafts lT are mounted on bearings (l5. lVhen the pistons are iu the position shown in diagram Fig. l0 (the direction of rotation being assumed io be counter-clockwise) the position ot the arms Vim osare-e sume the position assumed in Fig. except that the pistons are reversed in position and another dead-center results. It Will be noticed that up to this point the combined pis tous have made but one half revolution and that a dead-center position is formed at each halt. revolution of the pistons. While the combi-ned stroke of the pistons just previously referred to has been but half of a revolution taken` together, .individually the piston 7 has made three quarters of a revolu'- tion and the piston 5 one quarter of a revolu- `tion', owing to.the accelerated movement of piston 7 over thatof piston 5. The remaining half revolution of the two pistons,` taken together, is precisely similar to that ofthe first half.

In the diagrammatic views, Figs. 5 to 10, the centers of the engine shaft, the transmit- Yting shaft, the crank 11 and 13 and the link ins 15 upon the disk 16 are all preserved in various figures in order that the operation may be more clearly understood. In the dead' center position shown in Fig. 10 any pressure 4between the pistons will produce no rotation because the distance between lthe centers of tra1is1nitting shaft 17 and crank Vpins 11 and 13 is equal. If now the engine be rotated coun'ter-clockwise to the'position shown in Fig. 9.the pressure between the pistons will exert a turning tendency to the left, due to the difference in distance between shaft-center 17 and pin 18, and conter 17 and pin 11.4 That is to say 17 11 equals 'the long end of a lever while 17 l'fequals the shortvend. Thus piston 7 and its crank or eccentric 12 is moving with' increasing rapidity while crank 10 and its piston 5 is corresl'iondmgly reducing its speed. lt will be understood that immediatcly the pistons have passed the position shown in Fig. 10 in either direction, an ex-A plosion in the compression chamber 31 will exert an increasingturning tendency of the pistons in that direction. It is therefore desirable to compress an explosive mixture of gas aud'air in chamber 31 and explode it at or 'near the instant of passing this dead point. or position shown in Fig. l0, to allow it to exert its expansive force bet-Ween the pistou faces. e

The pumps 38 are arranged to deliver an explosive mixture .through carbureters or vaporizers (not shown) through pipe 34 and chamber m to compression and explosion chambcrl'i in the position of the pistons shown in Fig. 5 one of the pumps will be delivering a charge into chamber 31, the pistons rotating counter-clockwise, and theleft` handfcxhaust port a being open. At this point piston 5 with its crank pin 11 travcling about six times faster than piston 7 and its crankpin 13. The previously ignited charge is expanding and doing Work in s ace GG between two faces of the pistons, whi e the space 67 between the opposite faces is opened to exhaust. in Fig. 6 piston 5 is still -moving very rapidly and is about to close the port 46 w-liilepiston 7 'is moving slowly, but With increasing speed, and is on the point of uncovering' the compression chamber 31 and admitting the incoming ex plosive i'uid into the space 67'. The time of admission of the gas int-o the space .67 can 'be adpisted 1n the design of the engine, but

here'it takes place ay small fraction of time before the exhaust port closes, in order that the incoming gas may tend'to sweep out-.any remaining product of combustion into the -exhau-:t passage Vjust previous to its closure bv the advancing piston.

Proceeding to Fig. 7 the exhaust passage is now closed by piston 5, While the charge of gas inithe spat-e7 67 has mingled With what air there was therein after closure of the exhaustport. The admit-ssionl of air to space 67 through auxiliary air inletpassages is explained liereina ter. Vilhile' this air is relied upon to furnish the additional portion required (beyond that delivered bythe pump) 'to ren' der the mixture combustible, yet it Vwill be observed that vit is not essential, as they pumps can be arranged to deliver any reuired )ro ortion of Oas and air into the chamber 31. in Fig. 7 the pistons are appreaching one of their dead points and are rapidly reducing the space G7.. It Will be not-iced that the entrained mixture is being compressed in tliechamber 3l, not only by the closing pistons, but' also by the then ejecting pump which is arranged to reach the end of its stroke at or near the dead point of the pistons. During this period the previously ignited 'charge is still expandingl and doing Work in the space G6. In Fig. 10 the pistonsare closed and the mixture fully compressed in the chamber 31, where 'it is being' ignited by the spari: ping 55. the coni4 inutator having .made the reqiiisite contact at this stage. It will now be observed that the space 66 upon the opposite sides of the pistons has become open to the exhaust. its charge having by this time fully expanded. vWhen the engine is in motion the fan 50 is running and tends to create a vacuum in the exhaust pipe. Coming` back again to Fig. 10, exhaust port 4,6 being open,Y the air rushes'to fill the vacuum, ivhich has the effeet. of drawing air in through the axial air passage 42 and into the space'GG through the ESO port 43 which has beenv uncovered by the piston T. lt. will be seen that the duct- 43'has become uncovered some time previous to the opening of the exhaust., under which circurnstances the space (3G would exhaust to some extent through the port- 43. This may be avoided by placing inwardly opening checks in the air passage 42, or by locating the main exhaust passages as shown in Fig. ll, which latter construction in many cases may prove to be desirable. It will be observed that -neither the air duct nor the fan are essential to the working of the engine, but where they can be installed it is believed that superior economy results through the freer exhaust. When air is drawn in through the central duet, moreover, it will not only draw heat from the central shaft but will also be.. carried around and mingled with the next entering charge, thus insuring suiiicient air to produce perfect combustion, and permitting the use also of smaller charges. All the air may be introduced between the pistons through the port #i3 and the pumps simply used to inject the requisite quantity of gas. The exhaust port Liti-.is alternately opened to both the spaces 66 and 67 asthe-engne revolves, thus serving to exhaustfgases for both strokes. Proceeding now to Fig. 9 the space 6G is still found exhausting while the exploded charge from the chamber 3l is now exerting its full force upon the pistonl 7. The rate of revolution ofthispston is accelerating very rapidly while piston 5 is having its speed retarded in a proportionate degree, being, in fact, nearly standing still,- momentarily. In Fig. 8 we find the pistons in the position shown in Fig. 5 except that they have changed places, and space 66 is exhausting and space G7 is expanding and, 'doing work. The position of the pistons has now been followed in detail throughonehalf of the revolution of the transmitting shaft. The second half of the revolution in` augurates the same chain .of events, from which it willbc seen that the engine has two impulses and two exhausts in each full revolution.

If the engine be running counter-clockwise as shown and the spark set forward,

so as to explode the charge, say at the piston position shown in Fig. 7, al, retarding effect would' be had and the engine wouldV then tend ,to run in the opposite direction. To reverse its direction it is only necessary to throw iii-st the exhaust valves, opening the right-hand passage while closing the left, and then setting the spark forward unn vtil rotation is. established in the desired direction, after which the spark may b e adjusted to suit the reverse speed.

ln practice thecharge will have to be ignited some. little time before the pistons reach the dead points or positions shown'in Fig. l0 in order to afford suiiicientl time for the proper explosive burning of the gas, dependent altogether upon the speed of the pistons. The setting of the spark forward beyond the degree necessary to secure igni- `tion may be taken advantage of to govern the engine in a sensitive and positive manner. In such use theadniission valve 32 seats itself instantly upon ignition, thus precluding further admission of gas, it being 'ap parent that the governing is accomplished, not only. by the retardation of the pistons, but also by cutting od the admission of gas, which is conducive to economy. Another effective method of governing the engine is found in partially throttling the'exhaust. by meansof the lever 54. If the free exhaust be obstructed to some degree, a portion of the last expanding charge will be entrained between the pistons. After the exhaust passage lias been closed by the pistonas at Fig. T, the back pressure thus engendered serves to hold the admissionva'lve to its seat against the action of the injecting pump. v If therefor'eany charge be exploded and thereafter prevented from wholly yexpanding and exhausting, t-he remaining portion will be car'- ried around and recompressed in the chamber 31, this compression holding back further admission of gas, gine to miss an impulse.

Immediately after an explosion has taken place the leverage ofone piston over the other is rapidly increasing, while at the same and causing the entime the pressure due to the 'expandingA charge is reducing, the result beingv a close approximation to a constant turning effort ,upon the main crank pins. Thepistons being coupled to the main crank pin, and conse-V lquently together, their inertia stresses balance each other. Thus, their relatively changing speeds being always 4directly proportional, it will be seen that any inertia eifect'tending in one direction is exactly balanced by a like effort tending in the opposite direction, the result being the mean of the two stresses. The. higher the speed t-lie less tendency there is tol vibration. The leakage, at most, without any packing between the ends and circumf ferential faces of the pistons, in a well designed engine, can be but small at high speeds especially, for, during a large portion of each stroke, any leakage of gas must necessarily occur in a'zone lof explosion and expansion where it will be ignited and utilized. But packing strips may be employed if desired.

' This type of engine is particularly adapted, for instance, for automobilework, and the driving sprockets or gea-rs may be. attached to each of the transmission shafts 17. For marine or other uses the piston extensions, cranks and shaft at one end of the engine may be dispensed with if desired.' This is also true in automobile' work where the engine is set fore and aft. While these tionately than'is the eating en ines of like power, and hence more scares uses are mentioned the engine is by no'means confined thereto..l

It will be noted that the stroke ot' the engine being circumferential With regard to the cylinder, and equaling one halt oi' the clrcumference, lts length is greater proporcasewith the reciproarea is a orded yfwithin which to `expand the operating gases, thus resulting in a lower terminal pressure AWit-h increased economy.

vWhile the pistons,v have been shown in cross sectionin the form of quadrants, or degrees, yet it will beunderstood that this area is largely dependent upon the eccentricity existing between the centers of the engine shafts and that of the transmittingshaft. This variation Will be governed by general conditions `of practice. The degree of eccentricity dil rectly governs the stroke of thev piston and consequently the ratio of leverage -Which each will obtain over the other in turn as the engine revolves. In the illust-rations there is a maximum leverage of about 6 to l foreach of the pistons, receding to nothing at the dead points, the mean leverage being about 3 to l throughout the entire revolution. The pistons may be cored out interiorly either for lightness or for fluid cooling action, or they may have their opposing faces T0 cored out as shown in F ig. l1 for the purpose of compressing and holding the major portion of the compressed gas charge In such a case the combetween said faces. pression ychamber 3l may be reduced to a 'mere sparking vchamberl as shown inthe same figure.l In this figure the gas and air nre introduced at one ot the ports T1 dcpeuding upon'the direction of rotation. The exhaust ports are formed in the upper portion of the" cylinder.

The pumps are arranged to give a fast suction and a slow delivery, preferably. The piston cranks l0 and l2 are set directly opposite their respective piston segments, so that their Weight will tend to balance that of the segment pistons.

While I have vdescribed my ini'fention in connection with a `motor illustrating a specic nay of carrying out my invention I desire it'to be understood that such illustrations are a mere exenipliiication of the invention, and the invention is by no means confined thereto. All practical manifestations ofthe invention Whi ch 'come within the scope of the claims are specially-intended to be covered thereby.

I claim- 1. .In a rotary explosive motor, a shaft, a plurality of pistons, a casing, an exhaust system comprising an exhaust port, means for closing and varying the opening of said port, a main inlet port,- anrl-an auxiliary ailiiilci port opening through said shaft 2. In a rotary explosive mot-or, a shaft, a plurality of pistons, a casing, and an ex haust system comprising an exhaust port, means for varying the opening of said port and :tor closing same, an exhaust pipe lead` ing from said port, an exhaust-fan driven by the motor for creating an induced draft in said pipe, and an air inlet port opening throu 'h said shaft.

3. kn a rotary explosive motor, the combination of a shaft, a casing, a plurality of pistons rotatable in said casing, rotatable annular heads connected with one of said pistons, and packing rings interposed between said shaft and said rotatable annular heads.

4. In a rotary explosive motor, the combination of a shaft, a casing, a plurality ot pistons rotatable in said casing, rotatable annular heads connected With one of said pistons, and a lubricating system comprising ducts adjacent to said annular -heads and other bearing surfaces, and an exterior lubricant-supply.

5. The combination of a casing, a shaft, a plurality of pistons, rotatable. within said casing, a shaft non-conoe`ntric With the shaft lirst mentioned, conifieotion'sr between said pistons and said non-concentricshai't Whereby said pistons are caused to alternately lapproach and recede from each' other at constantly-varying relative speeds, a combustion-chamber adjacent to the point in the travel of said pistons Where 'tivo of "them closely approach each other, .pump-means for injecting an expfosive medium into said combustion-chamber ,ata pointin the travel of twoot said pistons when they are adjalcent to said chamber and approachin each other, variable moans for exploding t e explosive mediurnat a point in the travel of two of said pistons when saidpistons are adjacent to each other and the combustionchamber, variable exhaust portsl in said casing, an auxiliary said shaft, and draft-inducing means con nected with said exhaust-ports. ,Y

6. In a rotary explosive motor, a cylin- Y dricaiV casing having-stationary'pheads, a hollow shai't passing through each headY and `revl 15 oluble in bearings therein, annular, revoluble heads, one oneach part of said shaft Within the'casing and each adjoining one of said stationary heads, and a segmentconstitut- Ying a pistonamoving Within the casing' and 120 connecting saidr'evoluble heads. Y

7. In a rotary explosive motor, a cylindrical casing having stationary heads, a hollow shaft passing through each head and revoluble in bearings therein, annular, -revo- 125 luble heads, `one on each part of said shaft Within the casing ,and eachaujoining one of said stationary heads, a segment constituting `a-piston moving Within the Ycasing and'colr- A port opening through 11o nccting said revolnble heads, a second shaft 1V30 y passing through that first'named and revoluhle therein, and a second segment on said second shaft constituting a piston, moving between the revoluble heads.

8. In a rotary explosive motor, a cylin- "drical casing having stationary heads, a hol low shaft passing through each head and revoluble in hearings therein, annular, revocasing and connecting. said revoluhle heads,v

luhle heads, one on each part of the shaft within the casing and each adjoining one of said stationary heads, a hollow segment constituting a -piston moving within the a second shaft passin 'through that first named and revoluble tierein, and a second segment on saidk second shaft constituting a piston, moving between the revoluhle heads. Y

9. In a rotary explosive motor, a cylindrical casing having stationary heads, a hollow shaft passing through each head and revoluhle in bearings therein, annular revo luble heads, one on each part of the shaft within the casing'and-each adjoining one of said stationary heads, Yannular recesses intermediate the re'voluhle heads and the sta- .l

movingfwithin the casing and connecting said vrevoluhle heads. c,

Il, In a' rotary explosive motor, a cylin-V drical casing having stationary heads, a hol'- l low shaft passing through each head and revoluble in'. bearingsztherein, passages leading to thev'bor'esfof said hollow shafts tovconvey fluid' thereto, `annular revoluble heads,A one on each part of the shaft within the casing and each 'adjoining one of said stationary heads, annularl recesses intermediate the revoluble heads and the stationary heads, and a segment constituting a piston moving within the casing and connecting said revoluble heads.l e

l2. In a rotary explosive motor, a cylindrical casing having stationary heads, a hollow shaft passing through each head and revoluble in bearings therein, annular revoluble heads, one on each part of the shaft within the casing and each adjoining one of said stationary heads, annular cavities in the vrevoluble heads for cooling fluid, and a segment constituting a piston moving within the casing and connecting said revoluble heads.

13. In a rotary explosive motor, a cylindrical casing having stationary heads, a: hollow shaft passing through each head and revoluhle in bearings therein, annular, revoluble heads, one on each part of the shaft' within the casing and each adjoining one of said stationary heads, aloi'igitudinallycored segment constituting ai piston. moving within the casing and connecting said revoluhle heads, third shaft passing through those first named and revoluble therein, and av segment on said third shaft constituting a4 piston, moving between the revoluble heads and communicating with the core in said segment.

14. In a rotary gas engine,'the'.comhina-1 tion of a cylindrical casing, stationary heads thereon, two pistons revolving-vin said cas` ing, two rotary annular heads connected by one of said vpistons, concentric shafts, one

for each piston, j ournaled in said stationary heads andA extending at one end outside of the casing, a lshaft eccentric axially to the .first two, a fla-nge thereon provided with diametrically-opposite crank pins, a crank pinv connected with each of the rst two shafts, and twolinks, each connected at one end to one of said crank .pins and both connected pivotally with vone of the pins on said flange. In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

-LiNoonN A. LANG.

Witnesses:

DAVID Gr. MC'CALLUM, Dama BROWN. v 

